A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from 'Abdallah ibn Yahya from ibn Muskan from abu Basir who has said the following.
"I asked Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the verse of the holy Quran that says, 'They (unconditionally) obeyed the rabbis and the monks and worshipped the Messiah, son of Mary, as they
should have obeyed God. . . . (9:31)'. The Imam replied, "By Allah they did not call people to worship them. If they had done so people would not have accepted it. The Rabbis and monks made
unlawful things lawful for them and the lawful things as lawful. And in this way they worshipped them unintentionally."
H 154, Ch. 18, h 2
Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al- Hamdani from Muhammad ibn 'Ubayda who has said the following.
"Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) said, 'O Muhammad, Do you observe Taqlid more strictly or the group of Murji'a?' Muhammad ibn 'ubaydah has said, "I replied, 'They observe Taqlid and we observe
Taqlid.' The Imam then said, "I did not ask you about this." I did not have any answer other than the first one.
The Imam then said, "The group of Murji'a chose a man whose obedience was not obligatory (in the commands of Allah) but they obeyed and followed him strictly.
You chose a man and considered obedience to him necessary (in commands from Allah) and then you did not follow him strictly, therefore, they are more strict in Taqlid, following than you
are."
H 155, Ch. 18, h 3
Muhammad ibn 'Isma'il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammed ibn 'Isa from Rib'i ibn 'Abdallah from abu Basir from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
"They (unconditionally) obeyed the rabbis and the monks and worshipped the Messiah, son of Mary, as they should have obeyed God . . .. (9:31).' "By Allah, they (the people) did not pray or
fast for them (rabbis and monks) but they (rabbis and monks) made lawful for the people what was unlawful and unlawful what was lawful and people followed them accordingly."
